2

With his 2014 album Benji, released under his long-standing Sun Kil Moon moniker, something switched on in Mark Kozelek that wouldnt switch off for years to follow. That albums stream-of-consciousness flow and detailed inspection of details of his personal and family life turned mundane events into spiritual epiphanies. It was an artistic turning point for Kozelek that resulted in some of the most beautiful work in a huge catalog already rich with lush beauty. After that, however, he kinda ran wild with the concept of hyper-detailed, long-form songwriting, issuing new recordings under various banners multiple times a year. 2 is the second volume of songs made up of the trio of Kozelek on guitar and vocals, drummer Jim White, and keyboardist Ben Boye, following an initial collaborative album in 2017. Though both Boye and White have accompanied Kozelek on various Sun Kil Moon and solo albums, theres something unique about this particular trio configuration. Boyes piano clusters blur into Kozeleks gentle nylon-string guitar tones to create impressionistic atmospheres, rooted by Whites minimal drumming. The instrumental components of each of the albums seven pieces are drifting and patient, switching quickly from long stretches of slow-moving beauty into waltz-timed dreaminess on My Brother Loves Seagulls or moving without notice from a jazzy amble into a more tense ending on The Artist. The music is gorgeous, songs with average running times of around 11 minutes filling to the brim with Kozeleks rambling lyrical zigzags. ~ Fred Thomas